Guardians

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They work in pairs, they are big, and it’s their home court. In other words, no way of screwing them. They hit down on tourists with large backpacks, exiting the Prague subway.

Prague is a very nice city. Lots of things to see, lots of things to do. Most locals are very nice. With European standards it’s a cheap city to visit. Still, most people choose not to pay the streetcars, buses, or the subway. The tourists take after the locals and neglect this basic detail as well.

That is when the two big guys get you. Just when you think you made it yet another time without paying, they walk up to you with a piece of paper. The text is written in Czech, obviously. The two guys, wearing civil clothes, tell you that this is illegal, and that a fine has to be paid. Then they need to see the passport.

The thought of being in trouble in a foreign country and having to turn over the passport to a stranger is probably not very pleasant. Therefore, most people pay the $30 or so on the spot, glad to get off the hook. If the collectors work on part of the government, the subway, or on their own initiative is probably not known to many visitors. But it seems like a good business...

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